29 Aug The Importance of PLEASE
Based on the title of this article, you may be expecting to read about the interpersonally effective significance of using the word please. Such as, “Mom and dad, can I stay out later tonight, please?” “Can you pick up milk from the grocery store, please?” Or, “make sure to clean your room, please.”
While we all could likely use that reminder at one point or another, I am actually writing to share the importance of utilizing the word PLEASE as the following acronym:
P L – Treat Physical ILlness
E – Balance Eating
A – Avoid Mood-altering Drugs
S – Balance Sleep
E – Get Exercise
Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, developed by Marsha Linehan, incorporates the PLEASE Skill as an approach for regulating emotions.
We all have vulnerability factors when it comes to keeping our mood regulated. A vulnerability factor is something that can make us more susceptible to intensified emotions and can make managing these emotions more difficult. Being physically ill, poor eating habits, using substances, poor sleep and lack of exercise, are all such. Have you ever heard of the word “hangry”?
Here is a bit more information as to how these lifestyle factors can have a significant impact on our moods:
P L – Treat Physical Illness
Our mind and body are so closely linked, especially when it comes to our mental and physical health. Physical illness, even just a common cold, can cause discomfort, pain and lower energy. It is reasonable that these effects would have an impact on one’s mood. While we may not have control over the onset, prioritizing the treatment of any type of physical illness can lessen the duration and intensity of these symptoms, allowing our mood to return to baseline.
E – Balance Eating
Food impacts our mood. Above, I mentioned the word “hangry – a perfect example of how not enough food, or feeling exceptionally hungry, can lead to emotion dysregulation. Overeating can have the same effect, as well as an imbalanced diet (for example, too much sugar or not enough protein). Choosing foods that provide a steady amount of energy throughout the day is important.
A – Avoid Mood-altering Drugs
Mood-altering drugs are drugs such as street drugs, alcohol or misused prescriptions. Instead of helping to improve mood like prescribed and managed medication, these substances often lead to mood dysregulation.
S – Balance Sleep
Adequate sleep in crucial for having enough energy throughout the day to complete our daily tasks and for managing our emotions. Listen to your body and be in tune with how much sleep you need to feel rested. When we are physically tired, we often feel emotionally tired, as well. This can lead to having less patience, becoming overwhelmed more easily and increased sensitivity to feeling sad or anxious. Getting in bed and waking up around the same time every day can be extremely helpful.
E – Get Exercise
Research shows that physical exercise releases chemicals in our body called endorphins. Endorphins help to relieve pain or stress and boost overall happiness. Exercise does not have to mean going for a 5-mile run, or going to a spin class, Barry’s BootCamp or CrossFit (aka high-intensity workouts). Getting exercise is simply using your muscles and expending energy through movement of the body in some way.
This can range from going for a brisk 10-minute walk or walking the dog, dancing in your bedroom, gardening or doing other housework to doing yoga, playing tennis, or running a marathon. Exercise has many positive effects on our mood and overall mental health, so making sure it is a regular part of your routine is crucial.
Managing and tolerating intense emotions can be difficult even without any additional challenges. This is why it is important to make sure you are taking care of your body and using the PLEASE skill regularly, to support keeping your mood balanced as best you can.
Authored by: Jessica Oppenheimer, LCSW